Our Infinite Fates

Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven is a standalone fantasy romance that spans a thousand years. Evelyn and Arden are two star-crossed souls who have lived multiple lives. In each life, Arden hunts Evelyn and kills her before they reach their eighteenth birthday. Now, in the present, Evelyn has something to live for–her younger sister. Gracie is dying of leukemia, and Evelyn is a perfect match for transplant. She just has to live long enough to go through with the procedure which is two days after her eighteenth birthday. Her goal is to find Arden, convince him to not kill her, and maybe find a way to break their curse.

This was an interesting story from start to finish. It is told exclusively from Evelyn’s perspective across all her multiple lives, alternating between the present and key moments of her past lives. Evelyn herself is clueless. She doesn’t remember the catalyst of what started their doomed love story, but she does know she loves Arden, all the versions of him. Arden is without a doubt hard to like as we only see him from Evelyn’s view point. Sometimes he is brutal, killing her without a second thought, hunting her as if she is his prey. Other times, he falls in love with her, they have a beautiful relationship, and then he still kills her with tears on his face. It’s hard to justify his actions.

I loved how the story unfolds through the different timelines. While Arden is hard to like in the beginning, the reader quickly falls in love with the softer sides of him that Evelyn sees. Evelyn’s love for him transfers to the reader. Their fate is so intertwined that if one dies, the other dies too. They are even born at the same time. The different glimpses of their lives throughout the last thousand years build an interesting picture of loss and love. While Evelyn can only remember the last hundred years or so of her lives, Arden remembers them all, and he isn’t willing to share that knowledge with Evelyn. In the present, she is determined to learn the truth of their curse and share the burden with him.

Overall, I really enjoyed Our Infinite Fates. This is unlike any romance I’ve ever read, but it was thoroughly enjoyed. The mystery surrounding their fate, or curse as Evelyn calls it, is the driving force of the plot, creating tension and a bit of chaos. If you are a fan of romantasy, this one should be on your shelf.

OUR INFINITE FATES is a lush and riveting YA fantasy romance. Telling a story across time but anchored in the present, this book captures the link between Arden and Evelyn, who have been dying before their eighteenth birthday and being reborn for thousands of years. The story is told from Evelyn's perspective, who knows that she will often fall in love with whoever Arden has reincarnated into, but that one of them will kill the other before their eighteenth birthdate.

While Evelyn only remembers some of their past lives and does not recall what started this cycle of death and rebirth, Arden does seem to remember - and is unwilling to share it with her. Ultimately, theirs is a star-crossed love story that spans lives and deaths, forever linked by love and betrayal.

What I loved: I was absolutely riveted from the very beginning of this story and with wondering whether Evelyn in her current reincarnation would be able to to save her sister and figure out who Arden is before he ends her as well as what started the cycles to begin with. The story is primarily told in the present, but it goes back through key moments of their past lives in between. This storytelling mix worked incredibly well and tells many small stories amidst the larger one of their love.

The mystery of what started this pattern keeps the reader guessing as the pages were turned - and I have to say that the twist of the why and how was infinitely surprising. I loved the shock of it and the way that the ending was resolved. One of the major themes of the story was the beauty and power of love, as an emotion and a force, and this was conveyed through many small stories as well as the overarching one. Their love story was tragic at times and lovely at others, but it was a great romance, spanning thousands of years and lives. Beyond the romance though were themes of love for family and friends that they became close to in their reincarnations, particularly in the present with Evelyn's sister, Gracie, who she is determined to save (she is the only match for a needed marrow donation), and her mother.

Beyond love, other themes around betrayal, sacrifice, difficult choices, religion, connections with others, and souls/essence were also really strong and thought-provoking. I found Evelyn to be a compelling character, as well as Arden, and particularly their incarnations in past lives. These take the reader to some dark places, but they are also powerful examples of history, love, and hope. Ultimately, I loved the story, the stories within it, and the ending that brought it all forward beautifully.

Final verdict: OUR INFINITE FATES is a lush and lovely YA fantasy romance about the power of love, connections with others, and the beauty of life. Highly recommend picking this one up!

A snapshot of two souls linked across time and the tragedy that began their cycle of death.

Evelyn knows her days are numbered, but more than in any of her lives before, she's desperate to live to her eighteenth birthday so that she can be a donor for her younger sister, who has leukemia. Her killer, her lover, is coming, and the approaching doom brings to the surface memories and fears of their long history. It's full of questions, and love, and always ends in tragedy. Does Evelyn dare to hope this time won't be the same?

Alright, I've got some bones to pick with the synopsis. First, “Evelyn remembers all her past lives.” Fact check, untrue. Evelyn remembers some of the past (Vermont, the infamous Siberia...) but she knows it's an incomplete picture. Second, “Try not to fall in love.” False again! It doesn't really matter if she does or not, and anyway she and her ill-fated lover are definitionally soulmates. In any place, and form, they have an undeniable spark when they meet that transcends something like ordinary emotions.

This story strikes me as more tragedy than romance. The timeline is rooted in present day, interspersed with moments from past lives unfolding in reverse order. As I said, it's not really about them falling in love, but more that intense moment of recognition and oh-no-this-is-happening-again. Given the minimal present-day plot line, the flashbacks were an easy favorite. The reverse chronology played well with the suspense, and the variety of their reincarnations (across time, geography, social status, and gender) raises interesting thoughts on the nature of love, the connection of body and soul, and whether it is worse to live without love or die while loving (and more - I adore the scene on the western front).

It's a quick read, and while I wish there'd been more time to get to know their different lives, it's a book that grows richer for the pondering once the final page is turned. Unlike Addie LaRue, this isn't a story of journeys, but endings. If I were reading again, I'd approach this as a study in moments.

**Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC**

Content Corner: Notable swears, 101 ways to die (non graphic), implied intimacy